| Term | Definition |
| Alcinous | king of the Phaecians, to whom Odysseus tells his story |
| Odysseus | Hero of the odyssey |
| Calypso | sea goddess who loved Odysseus |
| Circe | (Greek mythology) a sorceress who detained Odysseus on her island and turned his men into swine |
| Zeus | The king of the gods |
| Apollo | Greek god of light |
| Poseidon | Father of the One eyed man |
| Athena | god who helped Odysseus fight the suitors |
| Polyphemus | the Cyclops who imprisoned Odysseus |
| Laertes | father of a hero |
| Cronus | father of the king of the gods |
| Perimedes | tied Odysseus to the mast |
| Eurlyochus | He talked the men into killing Helios cattle |
| Tiresias | blind prophet |
| Persephone | Queen of the underworld |
| Telemachus | son of the hero |
| Sirens | sea nymphs who lured sailors to destruction with their songs |
| Scylla | sea monster of gray rock |
| Charybdis | Monster in the form of a giant whirlpool |
| Hermes | messenger of the gods |
| Eumaeus | friend of Odysseus who fought with him against the suitors |
| Antinous | Hit the beggar with the stool |
| Eurynome | Penelope's maid |
| Penelope | tests our hero. |
| Eurymachus | tries to convince Odysseus to let the suitors leave |
| Amphinomus | suitor killed by the son |
| Argus | lived to see his old master |